1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of accommodating a detached and developed roll of photographic film in a main body of a photographic-film cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
Each of the kinds of photographic film used for cameras which are now on the market is accommodated in a main body of a photographic-film cartridge or a photographic-film case, in a state in which it is wound on a spool.
When it is desired to perform the process of the development of such photographic film, the film is detached from the cartridge and then subjected to a development process.
The photographic film (negative film), which has been so processed, is cut every predetermined number of frames, and each strip of film thus cut is held in a so-called negative sheet after which it is returned to the orderer. Therefore, a used photographic-film cartridge is of no use, and it is necessary to perform cumbersome work such as cutting the photographic film every predetermined number of frames, accommodating each strip of film thus cut in the negative sheet, etc.
On the other hand, there has recently been proposed a photographic film for use in a camera, which has a magnetic recording area formed thereon where photographic film information about the type of photographic film or the like, order information about the number of photographic prints to be made or the like, and user information about the names of the orderers or the like can be recorded.
However, when photographic film with such a magnetic recording area is cut every predetermined number of frames and then accommodated in the negative sheet, as in the prior art, the magnetic recording area on the photographic film is divided into many parts, and hence a series of items of information magnetically recorded on the magnetic recording area is divided into parts. It is therefore considered that such information cannot be easily read by a magnetic recording reader.
In order to avoid the difficulty of reading such information, there has been proposed a method of accommodating photographic film after development thereof, wherein the original film cartridge (from which the photographic film has been withdrawn and cut off prior to development) is re-utilized, or, alternatively, wherein a specially-prepared cartridge for accommodating photographic film after it has been developed is used. In either case, the developed film is inserted into the cartridge and wound onto a spool therein after which it is returned to the orderer who has requested its development.
However, this method creates a serious difficulty in that, in the case of re-utilizing a cartridge the photographic film must be cut from the spool contained in the main body of the cartridge and, in either case, the developed photographic film must be inserted and wound onto the spool inside the cartridge.